Northern Ireland schools' Angus competition to launch alumni network
Organisers of the ABP Angus Youth Challenge, a Northern Ireland secondary school competition on farming and food, will change its format and set up a network for past finalists. The competition has received record entries.
The organisers of the ABP Angus Youth Challenge, a secondary school competition in Northern Ireland, have announced that its format will change and that an ABP Youth Challenge Alumni Network will be created. The contest is run by the meat processing company ABP and aims to give students insight into the farming and food sectors. Organisers want the initiative to become more relevant and appealing to secondary school teachers and students across Northern Ireland.
Alumni network
George Mullan, managing director of ABP in Northern Ireland, said work on the new network is already under way. It is intended to let past finalists stay in touch, share experiences and support each other through education, training and later careers. He hopes it will become a lasting network that reflects the spirit of the finalists programme.
Charles Smith, chair of the Certified Irish Angus Producer Group, a group of Irish Angus cattle producers, said he hopes network members will help develop the competition further in the future.
Record entries
Record entries have been received for the 2027 competition. Forty-three schools were represented at the recent 2026 awards ceremony. Four finalists for next year's contest will be chosen from this group over the coming weeks.
Mullan said the competition has given students across Northern Ireland significant insight into farming and food, and that this should encourage more young people to pursue careers in both industries. He also mentioned ABP's Future Farmers' Programme, which is meant to help younger suppliers understand the business and plan for their future.
Friendship among finalists
Mullan named the camaraderie between this year's finalists as one of the standout aspects of the Challenge. In his view, at a time when more life is spent online, the value of genuine human contact should not be underestimated.
